Apparatus for mixing fluent material



Oct. 30, 1962 J. A. KRAFT ETAL 3,061,280

APPARATUS FOR MIXING FLUENT MATERIAL Filed April 6, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet1 FIGZ.

16 INVENTORS. JAcK/LKRAH'.

BY HAROLD 0. KAAl-T.

A TTORNE r Oct. 30, 1962 J. A. KRAFT ETAL 3,061,280

APPARATUS FOR MIXING FLUENT MATERIAL Filed April 6. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTORS. JACK A. KRAFZ' 3,061,280 APPARATUS FOR MIXING FLUENTMATERIAL Jack A. Kraft and Harold D. Kraft, Flushing, N.Y., assignors toKraft Scientific Crp., Queens, N.Y., a corporation Filed Apr. 6, 1959,Ser. No. 804,500 8 Claims. (Cl. 25972) This invention relates to mixingapparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for mixing various typesof fluent material.

The proper mixing of certain materials is sometimes absolutelynecessary, particularly when mixing. various types of chemicals. Theproblem is more acute when it is necessary to mix small quantities offluent chemical materials, such as in a laboratory, where large complexmixing machines are not practical. It is, therefore, an object of thepresent invention to provide a relatively compact and highly eflicientmixing device which will properly and completely mix various types offluent materials at a relatively high speed and in a simple andeflicient manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a table top typefluent material mixer that requires a mini mum amount of space, power,and specialized skill for its proper operation.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a mixingdevice of the above type in which test tubes may be convenientlyinserted and removed with one hand during the operation of theapparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide fluent materialmixing apparatus particularly suited for mixing fluent material withinsmall containers, such as test tubes, which will readily accommodatevarious sizes of test tubes without adjustment or use of adapters;

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a highspeed fluent material mixing device having an eccentrically mounteddynamic mounting for receiving one lower end of a laboratory test tubeand a relatively static mounting substantially universally pivotallysupporting the opposite upper end of the test tube, and which isparticularly efficient for mixing protein bound iodine with water. V Allof the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of thisinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a mixing device made inaccordance with the present invention, in operative use.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of certain portions of a dynamic mountingforming a part of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1, showing an upper static mounting forming another part of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 ofFIG. 1, showing certain bearing portions of the dynamic mounting. i FIG.Sis a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1,showing the eccentric mounting of the dynamic bearing forming a part ofthe present invention, in one partially rotated position.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the bearing in anotherpartially rotated position.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, of themachine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.7, showing the static mounting releasably secured in the upper end of atest tube within.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a resilient cup forming a part of thedynamic mounting of the apparatus.

I United States Patent 0 FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional viewtaken along line 1010 of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2.thereof, a mixing machine 15 made in accordance with the presentinvention is shown to include a main housing 17 having resilient pads 18for supporting it upon a stationary object, such as thetop of a table orwork bench. Screws 21 releasably secure a mounting plate 20 upondepending bosses 22 within the interior of the housing 17.

As is more clearly shown in FIG. 7 of the drawing, the mounting plate 20supports a motor 28 by means of depending posts 24 secured thereto bynuts 25 and cushion type washers or grommets 26. This motor 28 has avertical shaft 29 upon which a collar 31 is eccentrically secured bymeans of a set screw 33. The eccentrically mounted collar 31 includes aconcentric center pin 32 which serves to drive the dynamic mounting, ina manner hereinafter more fully described.

A switch 35 having a manually operated toggle lever 34 controls theoperation of the motor 28 which is supplied with electrical energythrough leads 37 from a main source of electrical energy 36. Thus, inresponse to energization of the motor 28, the rotating motor drive shaft2, is operative to eccentrically rotate the collar 31 and the centrallymounted pin 32 thereof.

With further reference now to FIGS. 4, 9, and 10, a resilient cup 40 ismounted within an enlarged opening 42 at the top of the housing 17 andhas a ball bearing assembly 43 secured within a downwardly openingrecess 44 thereof, such as by an annular band 46-. This band 46 servesto clamp the ball bearing assembly 43 in place within the recess 44 ofthe cup 40, with the drive pin 32 of the collar 31 mounted within theinner race of the ball bearing assembly. It will thus be recognized thatin response to energization of the motor 28, the eccentric movement ofthe pin 32 is transmitted through the 'ball bearing assembly 43 to thelower end of the resilient cup 40, to thus drive this lower end of thecup eccentrically within the enlarged opening 4-2 of the housing andconstituting what we term a dynamic mounting. An arm 47 integral at oneend with and extending radially outwardly from the annular band 46serves to prevent rotation of the resilient cup 40 concentrically aboutits longitudinal axis. The outer free end of the arm 47 is mounted upona central portion of an elongated coil spring 49that is secured at itsopposite ends to L-shaped brackets 50 mounted upon the plate 20*- byscrews 51. As is clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, concentricrotation of the resilient cup 40 about its own longitudinal axis isyieldably resisted by the spring 49, while fixed brackets 53 secured tothe plate 20' by screws 54, serve to positively limit such rotationalmovement between predetermined fixed limits. The limiting of therotational movement of the cup 40 about its own longitudinal axis by thepositioning spring 49 and fixed stops 53 enables the operator to insertor remove fluent material receiving vessels, such as test tubes 60, witha simple twisting action with one hand.

Referring now more specifically to- FIGS. 9. and 10 of the drawing, theresilient cup 40 of the dynamic mount ing is shown to have an innerstepped wall defining longitudinally spaced apart annular shoulders 56a,11 that define three discrete cup portions 57a, 12, c, each such portionbeing adapted to receive the loWer end of a test tube of a differentsize. In order to prevent the formation of a partial vacuum upon theinsertion of the test tube to the cup 40, radially inwardly extendingprotuberances 58a, b, c are integral with the inside Wall of each one ofthe test tube receiving portions 57a, b, c of the cup 40, thus enablingthe test tubes to be easily inserted and removed during use.

A spring type clamp 63 having an outer end opening 64 of self-adjustablesize to provide a static mounting for accommodating the upper ends oftest tubes 60 of different sizes therein, is mounted upon the outer endof the rigid support arms 66. This arm 66 includes a central bore 67that slidably receives a rigid rod 68 therethrough to form asubstantially static stationary mounting for. the upper end of thefluent material containing test tube being driven. The post 68 isreceived within a vertical longitudinal bore 70 of the housing 17 and isadjustably secured therewithin by means of a manually releasable thumbscrew 71. A similar thumb screw 69 carried by the arm 66 controls theposition of the arm 66 relative to the post 68.

In actual use, such as when mixing one cc. of semi-solid protein boundiodine with cc. of water, all of which may be placed within the testtube 60, the motor 28 is preferably set to rotate at approximately 2400r.p.m., under load. The lower end of the test tube 60 is inserted intothe proper portion 57a, b, c of the resilient cup 40 of the dynamicmounting, while the static mounting clamp 63 is adjusted so as to engagethe upper extremity of the test tube. It will thus be recognized that inresponse to energization of the motor 28, the dynamic mounting willdrive the lower end of the test tube eccentrically about the motor driveshaft at a relatively high rate of speed and through a relatively smallradius of ro tation. The upper static mounting 63 thus functions as ayieldable universal coupling for simply retaining the upper end of thetest tube in a relatively stationary position while the opposite lowerend thereof is spun by the resilient cup of the dynamic mounting whichresists radially outward movement with an elastic snapping action. Ithas been found that this device is especially effective for mixingchemicals of the type described in a relatively short period of time andin a thorough and uniform manner. However, it is also contemplated thatthe types of fluent materials, such as paints, powders, and liquids mayalso be efliciently mixed with apparatus based upon the teachings of thepresent invention.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to theconstruction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such isnot to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, whichis best defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for use with a fluent material-containing vessel for mixingmaterial contained in said vessel, said apparatus comprising incombination, a fluent material storage vessel having an upper and alower end, a base, a drive motor having a drive shaft supported withinsaid base with said drive shaft in a substantially vertical position, adynamic mounting eccentrically carried upon said drive shaft, saiddynamic mounting having support means for releasable engagement with thelower end of a fluent material containing vessel, a static mountingcarried by said base for releasably securing the opposite upper end ofthe fluent material containing vessel in a substantially fixed positionduring eccentric movement of said dynamic mounting and lower end of thevessel carried upon said shaft, and yieldable positioning means carriedby said base and said dynamic mounting, restraining said dynamicmounting against concentric rotation.

2. Apparatus for mixing fluent material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid yieldable positioning means comprises an arm having one endintegral with and extending radially outwardly from said dynamicmounting, and spring means acting against the opposite end of said armresisting concentric rotational movement thereof.

3. Apparatus for mixing fluent material as set forth in claim 2, furthercomprising fixed stops at opposite sides of said arm positively limitingsaid concentric rotation of said dynamic mounting therebetween.

4. Apparatus for mixing fluent material as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid dynamic mounting includes a resilient upwardly opening cup, abearing carried by the lower end of said cup, and an eccentric pinsecured to said drive shaft rotatably received within said bearing.

5. Apparatus for mixing fluent material as set forth in claim 4, whereinthe interior of said cup includes an inside wall having a plurality ofprotuberances frictionally receiving the lower end of the vessel andmaintaining it in spaced relationship with said inside wall of said cup.

6. Apparatus for mixing fluent material as set forth in claim 5, whereinthe inside diameter of said cup decreases along the length of saidinside wall from said outer open end to the opposite lower end thereof.

7. Apparatus for mixing fluent material comprising in combination, abase, a fluent material storage vessel having an upper and a lower end,a dynamic mounting supported by said base for receiving said lower endof said vessel, motor drive means for eccentrically rotating saidmounting relative to said base, said motor having a drive shaft, and astatic mounting receiving the opposite upper end of the storage vesselfor securing it in substantially stationary position during saideccentric rotation of said dynamic mounting with the lower end of thestorage vessel, said dynamic mounting including an upwardly openingresilient cup slidably receiving the lower end of said vessel within theupper end thereof, a bearing carried by the opposite lower end of saidcup and a pin secured eccentrically to said motor drive shaft rotatablyreceived within said bearing.

8. Apparatus for mixing fluent material comprising in combination, abase, a fluent material storage vessel having an upper and a lower end,a dynamic mounting support-ed by said base for receiving said lower endof said vessel, motor drive means for eccentrically rotating saidmounting relative to said base, said motor having a drive shaft, andsaid dynamic mounting including an upwardly opening resilient cupslidably receiving the lower end of said vessel within the upper endthereof, a bearing carried by the opposite lower end of said cup and apin secured eccentrically to said motor drive shaft rotatably receivedwithin said bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS982,156 Miltz Jan. 17, 1911 2,480,502 Nieder Aug. 30, 1949 2,779,510Wilson et al. Jan. 29, 1957 2,828,949 'Paladino et al. Apr. 1, 19582,846,201 Mermelstein T Aug. 5, 1958

